Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders
Closely related individuals from different areas can see their morphologies change based on differences between clades, but also ecological variables such as the island effect or sympatry. This is the case of salamanders, which have adapted to a broad range of ecological niches, ranging from undergr...
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/187 |
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| author | Amaël Borzée Mi-Sook Min |
| author_facet | Amaël Borzée Mi-Sook Min |
| author_sort | Amaël Borzée |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Closely related individuals from different areas can see their morphologies change based on differences between clades, but also ecological variables such as the island effect or sympatry. This is the case of salamanders, which have adapted to a broad range of ecological niches, ranging from underground dwellers in xeric landscape to tropical arboreal habitats. On the Korean Peninsula, salamanders from the <i>Hynobius</i> clade are widespread on the mainland and islands, with several partially sympatric clades and candidate species. Currently, seven lineages have been identified based on mtDNA, four of them matching named species and three others for which the species status remains untested. While the morphology of Korean <i>Hynobius</i> is known to be variable between genetically segregated clades, we hypothesise that (1) the candidate species are morphologically different, and that (2) the island effect and (3) the sympatric status have significant impacts on the morphology of individuals within the genus. Here we measured 329 <i>Hynobius</i> salamanders from all seven clades, in areas of sympatry and allopatry, and on islands and on the mainland (Graphical Abstract A). We determined that the island effect had a significant impact on the morphology of the genus, with mainland individuals generally displaying a broader range of morphology than islandic individuals (Graphical Abstract B). We also determined that sympatry had an impact on morphology, with the sizes of individuals from clades in sympatric areas diverging from each other (Graphical Abstract C). Finally, we demonstrated that all seven clades have significantly different morphologies, and we described the three candidate species that had already been isolated based on mtDNA and microsatellite data: <i>Hynobius notialis</i> sp. nov., <i>Hynobius geojeensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Hynobius perplicatus</i> sp. nov. We conclude that looking at morphology alone would be misleading about the true diversity of <i>Hynobius</i> species, and species in general, because of the island and patry effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:45:35Z |
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| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:45:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-11c856d4666f42ed93d68f843a0ba1272023-12-03T13:15:55ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-01-0111118710.3390/ani11010187Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. SalamandersAmaël Borzée0Mi-Sook Min1Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, ChinaResearch Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, KoreaClosely related individuals from different areas can see their morphologies change based on differences between clades, but also ecological variables such as the island effect or sympatry. This is the case of salamanders, which have adapted to a broad range of ecological niches, ranging from underground dwellers in xeric landscape to tropical arboreal habitats. On the Korean Peninsula, salamanders from the <i>Hynobius</i> clade are widespread on the mainland and islands, with several partially sympatric clades and candidate species. Currently, seven lineages have been identified based on mtDNA, four of them matching named species and three others for which the species status remains untested. While the morphology of Korean <i>Hynobius</i> is known to be variable between genetically segregated clades, we hypothesise that (1) the candidate species are morphologically different, and that (2) the island effect and (3) the sympatric status have significant impacts on the morphology of individuals within the genus. Here we measured 329 <i>Hynobius</i> salamanders from all seven clades, in areas of sympatry and allopatry, and on islands and on the mainland (Graphical Abstract A). We determined that the island effect had a significant impact on the morphology of the genus, with mainland individuals generally displaying a broader range of morphology than islandic individuals (Graphical Abstract B). We also determined that sympatry had an impact on morphology, with the sizes of individuals from clades in sympatric areas diverging from each other (Graphical Abstract C). Finally, we demonstrated that all seven clades have significantly different morphologies, and we described the three candidate species that had already been isolated based on mtDNA and microsatellite data: <i>Hynobius notialis</i> sp. nov., <i>Hynobius geojeensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Hynobius perplicatus</i> sp. nov. We conclude that looking at morphology alone would be misleading about the true diversity of <i>Hynobius</i> species, and species in general, because of the island and patry effects.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/187morphologyHynobiidKorean peninsulaisland effectpatrysalamander |
| spellingShingle | Amaël Borzée Mi-Sook Min Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders Animals morphology Hynobiid Korean peninsula island effect patry salamander |
| title | Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders |
| title_full | Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders |
| title_fullStr | Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders |
| title_short | Disentangling the Impacts of Speciation, Sympatry and the Island Effect on the Morphology of Seven <i>Hynobius</i> sp. Salamanders |
| title_sort | disentangling the impacts of speciation sympatry and the island effect on the morphology of seven i hynobius i sp salamanders |
| topic | morphology Hynobiid Korean peninsula island effect patry salamander |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/187 |
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